The humble minivan has been a passenger on the waves of customer interest since it was first introduced. A red hot seller in the ’80s and ’90s, sales waned with the advent of the crossover in the 2000s. Lately, though, some automakers have been trying to rehabilitate the image of the minivan.

To do that, as ABC News pointed out recently, they’ve turned to aggressive design, in the case of the Toyota Sienna, sumptuous luxury, in the case of the Kia Carnival with its second-row captain’s chairs, and cool functions, in the case of the Honda Odyssey.

To a large extent, it’s working. Toyota expects to sell 100,000 Siennas in 2021 but there’s still some evidence that the segment is in need of help when it comes to its image.

Read Also: VW Confirms ID.Buzz Electric Van Is Coming To America In 2023

Renault had some pretty crazy ideas on how to reinvent the minivan over the years including the conceptual Espace F1 from 1994 with a 789hp 3.5L V10 that could hit 193mph and 0-62mph (100km/h) in 2.8 sec

One of the most radical production minivans of all time also came from Renault, the 2001-2003 sport-ish two-door Avantime

Kia, for instance, avoided calling the new Carnival a minivan when it came out, opting instead for the much more European and therefore chic appellation of “multi-purpose vehicle”. It also highlighted the model’s SUV-like proportions and its towing capability, all in an effort to suggest that it isn’t really a minivan, but rather kinda like an even more practical crossover.

The thing is, though, that the minivan’s blend of practicality, size, and lack of pretensions make it an attractive option. But what should one do to make the minivan more attractive to buyers?

It already has big comfy seats, it’s already low to the ground and practical, it already has gobs of technology. Does it simply need to commit to its increasingly premium aspirations and go all-electric?

VW is preparing the 2024 ID.BUZZ, an electric minivan with retro cues from the ’60s and ’70s love bus (Illustration credits Carscoops /Josh Byrnes)

With plug-in hybrid minivans already attracting attention, an electric minivan to run the kids around town might attract the Tesla crowd. And with window shades and ample space, you could even turn the rear seats into a bed or a screening room to while away the time as you wait to charge your vehicle.

Even Porsche had secretly – until recently, experimented with an electric minivan proposal called the Vision Renndienst Concept (read more here)

My only requirement, though, would be legitimately comfortable, reclining third-row seats, second-row seats that fold away, and a massive screen that unfurls from the ceiling so that a projector in the back of the van can be installed to create a viewing experience grand enough that it wouldn’t upset Denis Villeneuve if I watched Dune on it.

What would you do to make the minivan cool again?

The latest iteration of the Kia Carnival incorporates crossover styling elements to stand out from more conventional minivans like the Honda Odyssey